Kumaraswamy attacks BJP, says JDS MLAs being offered Rs 100 Cr each

Kumaraswamy has alleged Wednesday that his party MLAs are being offered Rs 100 crore each to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for forming government in Karnataka.

During the media interaction in Bengaluru, Deve Gowda’s son Kumaraswamy made it clear that the JDS will have no alliance with BJP. HD Kumaraswamy said, “JD(S) MLAs are being offered Rs 100 Cr each. Where is this black money coming from? They are supposedly the servers of poor people and they are offering money today. Where are the income tax officials?”

Janata Dal Secular (JDS) HD Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of offering Rs 100 crore each and cabinet posts to its newly elected legislators in a “desperate” attempt to form a government in Karnataka.

Kumaraswamy said, “I warn the BJP if they try Operation Kamal again, it will boomerang against them. We have power to poach twice the number of BJP MLAs.

Kumaraswamy named Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah for the offer as the BJP, he said, was desperate to form a government and deny the JD-S a chance to form a government.

Kumaraswamy further said, “ We will meet the Governor again on Wednesday evening to urge him to give us a chance to form the government as we have the majority of MLAs.”

Today morning, the BJP’s Chief Ministerial face, B.S. Yeddyurappa staked claim to form the new government in Karnataka. B.S. Yeddyurappa said, “The party has chosen me. I have given a letter to the Governor and he will call me, that is the main reason I am hoping. He told me he will take an appropriate decision. I will inform you after getting a letter from Governor.”

Both B.S. Yeddyurapp and Kumaraswamy had met the governor yesterday as well.

Karnataka has 224 assembly seats but voting was held for 222. The halfway mark then is 111, with a party needing 112 seats for a simple majority.

The BJP is short by 8 seats, whereas the JD(S), Congress combine (including the BSP) has 116 seats.

BJP won 104, won 104 seats, the Congress won 78, the JD(S) won 37, BSP won 1, whereas 2 seats were won by Others.